Your client has anaphylaxis listed as a penicillin allergy. Which antibiotic would be safe for your client to receive?

Ineffective Airway Clearance. This is because a client with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 6 has a severe impairment of consciousness and is at risk of aspiration, respiratory failure, and infection. The GCS is a clinical scale that measures a person’s level of consciousness after a brain injury based on their eye, verbal and motor responses. A GCS score of 6 indicates that the client only opens eyes to pain, makes incomprehensible sounds and shows abnormal flexion to pain.

Choice A is wrong because Acute Confusion is not a priority nursing diagnosis for a client with a GCS of 6.

Acute Confusion is a state of disorientation and impaired memory that can be caused by various factors such as medication, infection, electrolyte imbalance or dementia.

A client with a GCS of 6 is not likely to be confused, but rather unresponsive or minimally responsive.

Choice B is wrong because Self-Care Deficit is not a priority nursing diagnosis for a client with a GCS of 6.

Self-care deficit is the impaired ability to perform activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, feeding or toileting.

A client with a GCS of 6 will need assistance with all these activities, but the most urgent concern is their airway patency and oxygenation.

Choice C is wrong because Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity is not a priority nursing diagnosis for a client with a GCS of 6.

Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity is the potential for damage to the skin or underlying tissues due to pressure, friction, shear or moisture.

A client with a GCS of 6 may be at risk for developing pressure ulcers or skin breakdown due to immobility and reduced sensation, but this is not as life-threatening as ineffective airway clearance.

This outcome indicates that the client has resolved their constipation and has a regular pattern of defecation without difficulty or discomfort.

Choice A is wrong because taking a laxative daily can worsen constipation by causing dependency and reducing the natural peristalsis of the colon.

Choice C is wrong because requesting a bedpan every four hours does not necessarily mean that the client has bowel movements. It may indicate that the client has difficulty passing stool or has a sensation of incomplete emptying.

Choice D is wrong because having a bowel movement within 72 hours is still considered constipation. Constipation is diagnosed when bowel movements are associated with at least two of the following symptoms, occurring in the past three months with an onset of symptoms of at least six months: Less than three spontaneous bowel movements per week, Lumpy or hard stools from at least 25% of bowel movements.